Minutes
of 19th January: Proposed by
Johnny McFadyen, seconded by Mark Willis; the minutes were adopted as an
accurate record.

Matters
arising:

·Newfield water supply – ER reported that surveyors
have seen the tank but that she was not clear on the outcome. A new supply is
being installed to the school. Once the capacity of this supply is determined,
Scottish Water will consider the possibility of additional connections to
private houses, but these householders would have to fund their own connections.
Work will commence in the summer.

ER requested that everyone in
the Newfield area check that they are not paying water rates, as problems with
unintentional billing have arisen on the mainland.

The
water pipe will come onto Lismore below Achuaran House but will not run up to
Point. Action: ER to raise the
possibility of installing a supply to the waiting room at Point.

·MV Eigg – a letter was sent to Calmac requesting that
the Community Council be informed when the vessel is out of service, or of any
changes to the service. No formal response received but Calmac have requested a
contact number to enable staff to inform the community of any changes to ferry
sailings, cancellations etc. It was agreed that they should be asked to contact
the shop in the first instance. When the shop is closed, they should contact
Alison Mclean, followed by Julian Wormleighton if Alison is unavailable.

·Luggage barrows – these are being procured.

Ferry
issues:

·No real progress has been made on any of the ferry
issues since the last meeting. It was agreed that further debate during the
meeting would be unproductive and that Duncan MacIntyre and Stewart Turner
should be asked to attend the next meeting to clarify A&B’s position on
the various issues raised.

Action: Secretary to compile
a list of all the issues to send to ER, in order to enable DM and ST to gather
any relevant information prior to the meeting.

·ER confirmed that she had written to George Lyon
requesting a full evaluation of the ferry consultation results. It was agreed
that a breakdown of the responses had been provided.

Action: Secretary to copy
letter to ER.

·ER confirmed that George Lyon will meet the community
once he has received written confirmation from Tavish Scott (Transport Minister)
as to whether a full STAG appraisal will be carried out on the proposed
relocation of the car ferry.

·ER also confirmed that funding is being sought to meet
the increased costs resulting from the requirements of the MCA. After-hours
fares will rise to £45 before midnight
and £60 after midnight,
to be introduced at the end of March. A&B is considering the possibility of
using a bank crew to cover out of hours ferries.

·The issue of the storage of the lifejackets in the
luggage locker was also raised. These will be moved and a more permanent
solution will be identified when the vessel goes for its refit. The various
problems caused by the need to store all items in the luggage compartment were
briefly discussed, but it was agreed that all issues would be deferred until the
next CC meeting.

Action: ER to ensure that DM
and ST attend the next meeting.

GP
Out of Hours Services

·A further meeting has been arranged by the Locality
Manager for 29th March, but no new solutions have been proposed. In
the event of the GP Practice opting out of out of hours care, the doctor on-call
will be based in the Lorne and the IslesHospital
and patients will rely on transport off the island. Incidents at sea would take
priority for the lifeboat, paramedics might not agree to leave their ambulances
and cross on the passenger ferry and a helicopter would take approximately 3.5
hours to get to Lismore, leaving the island with no emergency cover.

·Julian suggested that a fully equipped ambulance could
be provided on the island, for use by paramedics coming across via Point,
although this might require frequent trips by paramedics to check equipment.

·It was agreed that a letter should be sent to the
Community Health Partnership Director, requesting an outline of the proposals
for out of hours cover (should the GPs opt out) and advising that LCC would
resort to media cover of the issue if necessary.

Action: Julian to liaise with
Secretary re the preparation of letters to NHS Argyll & Clyde and the Minister for Health
and Community care.

AOB

·Community fund and Glensanda application – the
application for the quarry extension will be determined in June at the earliest.
A&B remain in contact with HC regarding Lismore and Appin communities
receiving some benefit from the fund, but no outcome reported as yet.

·Social Services Transport Initiative – ER thanked all
who wrote in support for the continuation of this service. It is now supported
under a different funding stream, which it is hoped will be ongoing.